Tenby (or Dinbych-y-Pysgod) is a seaside town that lies within Carmarthen Bay in the county of Pembrokeshire, Wales.

• “Dinbych y Pysgod” in Welsh, translates as the “little town of fishes”.
• In 1970, the Tenby Sea Swimming Association started the Boxing Day Swim. It is Tenby’s main Christmas attraction now, with approximately 600 swimmers, most in fancy dress, watched by thousands of onlookers.
• The Pembrokeshire Coast Path covers some of the most spectacular coastal scenery in the UK. Opened in 1970, it is one of 14 premier, long-distance National Trails in England and Wales, marked out on signs and by an acorn symbol. I have covered much of the South West Coastal Path.
• The area below the high waterline at St Catherine’s Island is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Tenby’s roots date back to the time of the Norman Conquest when the county was invaded and colonised in around 1093. Much of the medieval castle walls, built by the Pembrokeshire Earls in 1264 to fortify the town from Welsh rebellion, have survived intact to the present day.

• In Medieval and Tudor times, the town was an important and thriving port carrying goods of cloth, wood, spices and even oranges to and from Spain, Ireland and the Mediterranean. This also attracted its fair share of pirates who are said to have hidden on the other side of St Catherine’s Island!
• A devastating plague in 1650 ravaged the town. The population was confined to within the walls and supplies dropped at the outskirts as people were too frightened to go closer. It is estimated about 300 out of the towns total inhabitants of 1000 lost their lives, and the town entered a period of decline and poverty.
• Henry Tudor escaped through the underground tunnels of the town (supposedly leaving from the present-day Boots site) onto a boat, to eventually return to Britain to overthrow King Richard and become King.

While I stayed at Bonville’s Court Country Park in Saundersfoot and then drove to Tenby. There are other campsites nearby and if you don’t mind spending that little more there are some very nice guesthouses and hotels.

• Budget, Tretio Caravan Park is just 1.5 miles away, plus many self catering options.
• Mid Range, A choice of guesthouses or B&B’s to choose from
• Splurge, there are many hotels around town with a 4 star class.

• June, The Pembrokeshire Street Food Festival – a three-day event which hosts a variety of food vendors and is held alongside Tenby’s South Beach.
• July, Long Course Weekend – set over three days. Swimmers will be competing in the bay, and many of the other races starting and finishing in the town.
• September, Ironman Wales.
• October, Tenby Beer Festival – A charitable event run by the Round Table taking place in the De Valence and welcomes visitors to taste a superb selection of beers, ciders and more.
• October, World Rowing Coastal Championships: A stones throw away in Saundersfoot hosts this global event for rowers which is worth a visit.
• November, Tenby Blues Festival – the cosy interiors of Tenby’s pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants become unique live music venues.

The town is compact and can easily be explored on foot, furthermore, parking in peak season can be a hassle. Places in the surrounding area outside of Tenby are difficult to get to by public transport.

• Car, While a car isn’t necessary in Tenby, it allows you to stay outside the town centre which increases the options and decreases the costs.
• Park and Ride: A useful service operates to and from the town.
• Walk, Tenby is very compact and all easily accessible non foot.
• Bus, run from Haverfordwest, Kilgetty, Pembroke Dock and Narbeth, but are not always that frequent
• Train, Tenby station is part of the Carmarthen-Pembroke line. The station is quite central to the town so it is a good convenient option.

Tenby can get VERY busy. We parked in South Beach car park, but if you don’t mind a short walk, North Beach is usually quieter.

• Car, There are several pay and display carparks in the town, including the multi-story carpark in the centre of town. It’s a 1hr 15min drive from Swansea, 1hr 50min from Cardiff and 2hr 30min from Bristol.
• Trains, The most frequent direct trains run to Camarthen in the east and Pembroke Dock in the west. However, there is the odd direct train from Cardiff Central.
• Bus, a park and ride service runs during the summer. Make sure you check whether this is available before you embark on your journey, as this varies depending on the time of year.

• North Beach is usually the quieter car park, if you don’t mind the short walk.
• The National Trust owns a lot of the property along the Pembrokeshire Coast. If you’re a member you can park in their car parks for free.